Stringed musical instrument



Oct. 20, 1931. D. cAvlccHloLl STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Feb. 28, 1931 INVENTOR. CC///./

AHORA/gf Patented ct. 20, 1931 UNITED STATES DANTE CAVICCHIOLI, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

BTRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Application led February 28, 1931. Serial No. 519,008.

This invention relates to stringed instruments, such as guitars, mandolins, mandolas, banjos and the like; and the object of the invention consists in the provision of a combined or dual instrument of the class specified, involving two necks or fret bars extending from the sound chamber or chambers of the instrument whereby two distinct instrumental tones may be played on the one instrument in the use of the separate fret bars and the strings associated therewith; a further object being to provide means for dividing the body portion or sound chamber of the instrument into separate compartments having apertures exposed to the strings of each fret bar; a still further object being to provide means on the partition wall subdividing the sound chambers or compartments for placing bothk chambers or compartments in communication, said means being controlled and operable externally of the body portion of the instrument; and with these and other objects in View, the invention consists in a stringed instrument of the class and for the purpose specified, which is simple in construction, eilicient in use, and which is constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings forms a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form ment which I employ.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1' and,

Fig 4 is a partial section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

For the purpose of illustrating one method of carrying my invention into effect, I have shown in the accompanying drawings a dual stringed instrument combining a guitar and a tenor guitar. In practice, I provide a relatively large hollow body 10, which is substantially of instruof the outline of a guitar, said body being divided by a central partition wall 11 into separate instrumental sound chambers 12 and 13. The chamber 12 forms the guitar sound chamber of the instrument, whereas the chamber 13 forms the tenor guitar. The top wall of each chamber is provided with a sound opening 12a-13a and projecting from one end of the instrument and in alinement with each sound opening are outwardly extending necks or fret bars 14 and 15 upon the upper face of which is arranged a plurality of longitudinally spaced frets 14a and 15a, the number and arrangement of which will control the particular instrument in conjunction with which they operate with respect to the sound chambers.

In like manner, the required strings 16 and 17 are arranged longitudinally of the necks 14 and 15 and in transversely spaced relation, and extend over the sound openings 12a and 18a and are connected to bridges 18 and 19 disposed upon the upper wall of each sound chamber 12 and 13. The other ends of the strings are coupled with tuning pegs 20--21 disposed on the heads 22 and 23 arranged at the free ends of the necks 111-15.

I also preferably provide the partition wall 11 with a large opening 24 .adapted to place the chambers 12 and 13 in communication with each other. This communication is controlled by a manually operable closure and regulator 25 secured to a rod 26 supported in suitable bearings 27 arranged on the partition wall 11. Said rod projects through the rear wall 10a of the body 10 and has thereon an operating knob 28, by means of which the rod 26 may be rotated. A bearing plate 29 is secured to the wall 10a adjacent the knob 28, and disposed between said knob and plate is a spring washer 30 adapted to tensionally or frictionally support the closure 25 in different positions of adjustment from the closed position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 to the dotted line position indicated in said gure, which represents the limit of movements imparted to said closure. These limits are controlled by a pin 31 on the knob 28 operated in an elongated slot 32 in the plate 29. f

With an instrument of the class described, a musician may shift from one neck or fret bar to the other to produce the tones and tone variations exlsting between the separate chambers 12 and 13 of the dual instrument. In the present illustration, a musician may play a conventional guitar or a tenor guitar and if desired may vary the tones of either or both instruments by the adjustment of the closure or regulator 25 in moving it from its closed position to several open positions which will vary or modify the tone of either instrument or the sound chambers 12 and 13 thereof.

It will also be apparent that by virtue of the arrangement of the two necks or fret bars, a musician may quickly and easily shift from one instrumental tone to another whenever desirable, thus enabling the musician to play a wide range of varying tones without necessitating` any shift in the position of the instrument with respect to the player.

I am well aware of the fact that dual sound chambered stringed instruments are old. But, the distinctive features of my invention reside in the provision of two necks or fret bars disposed in adjacent relation to each other to control by the arrangement of strings thereover, the production of diilerent musical tone values by virtue of the differential sound chambers employed in conjunction with the respective necks, and still further to the provision of a partition wall subdividing the separate sound chambers of the dual instrument, with a means for controlling a communication formed between the sound chambers and to the arrangement of these structural features in dierent combinations of stringed instruments of the class under consideration.

It will be understood that while I have shown certain details of construction for carrying my invention into etfect, that I am not necessarily limited to these details nor to the specific arrangement of sound chambers herein disclosed, and various changes in and modifications of the construction herein set out may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-ters Patent, is:

1. A dual stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising a hollow body, means subdividing said body into separate sound chambers, each having a. sound opening, two necks extending from said body in radial alinement with the respective sound openings of each sound chamber, and means for placing the sound chambers in communinication with each other.

2. A dual stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising a hollow body, means subdividing said body into separate sound chambers, each having a sound opening, two necks extending from said body in radial alinement with the respective sound openings of each sound chamber, and means for placing the sound chambers in communication with each other, said last named means involving a manually adjustable element.

3. A dual stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising a hollow body, means subdividing said body into separate sound chambers, each having a sound opening, two necks extending from said body in radial alinement with the respective sound openings of each sound chamber, means for placing the sound chambers in commucation with each other, said last named means involving a manually adjustable element, and means externally of said body for actuating said element.

4. A dual stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising a hollow body, means subdividing said body into separate sound chambers, each having a sound opening, two necks extending from said body in adial alinement with the respective sound openings of each sound chamber, means for placing the sound chambers in communication with each other, said last named means involving a manually adjustable element, means externally of said body for actuating said element. and means for retaining said element in different positions of adjustment.

5. A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising a relatively large hollow body having two sound openings ar- `anged in spaced relation thereon, a neck extending from said body in radial alinement with one of said sound openings, another neck arranged in spaced relation to the first named neck and extending from said body radially with respect to the other sound opening, one part of said hollow body including one sound opening being of different contour than the other part thereof including the other sound opening, means subdividing said parts to form independent sound chambers within said body, and means involving a manually operated element for placing said sound chambers in communication with each other.

6. A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising a relatively large hollow body having two sound openings arranged in spaced relation thereon, a neck extending from said body in radial alinement with one of said sound openings, another neck arranged in spaced relation to the first named neck and extending from said body radially with respect to the other sound opening, one part of said hollow body including one sound opening being of different contour than the other part thereof including the other sound opening, means subdividing said parts to form independent Sound chambers within said body, means involving a manually operated element for placing said sound chambers in communication with each other, and a member disposedV externally of said body by means of which said element may be adjust-F ed into different positions.

7 A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising a. relatively large hollow body of predetermined peripheral contour, the contour of said body at one side of the instrument contrastin to that of the other side, a relatively straig t wall member extending longitudinally and transversely through said body joining top, bottom and end walls thereof to form two instrument parts having independent sound chambers each. disposed solely upon opposite sides of said partition wall within said body, said body having sound openings registering with each of the chambers therein and necks on each instrument part of said body.

8. A stringed musical instrument of the class described comprising a relatively large hollow body of predetermined peripheral contour, the contour of said body at one side of the instrument contrasting to that of the other side, a relatively straight wall member extending longitudinally and transversely through said body joining top, bottom and end Walls thereof to form two instrument parts having independent sound chambers each disposed solely upon opposite sides of said partition wall Within said body, said body having sound openings registering with each of the chambers therein and necks on each instrument part of said body, and means for placing the sound chambers of the separate instrument parts in communication with each other.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name this 26th day of February, 1931.

DANTE CAVICCHIOLI. 

